One Man's Family
A pioneer from Crieff, but in this case, Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland, Archibald Watson arrived in Puslinch in 1831. His family followed in 1834. Although we might suppose he would gravitate to Puslinch's Crieff, he chose the Town Line between Puslinch and East Flamboro, Lots 37 & 38 in the rear of the eighth concession.
According to the 1906 Wellington County Historical Atlas, when Watson arrived this land was being "chopped" by the Nicholl brothers which no doubt explains its attraction for Archibald, although he might have been a "chopper" with them. Whatever the reason, upon this land Archibald and his family settled and eventually built a fine stone house with a stone annex and verandah.
Liberals and Presbyterians, the Watsons were among the founding members of Duff's Church. Archibald's son, Robert, was only eleven when he first set foot in Canada but he grew to be a fine man in his father's mold. He married Elizabeth Bullock and had children who spread all over the continent: William to Los Angeles; George, Charles and Robert to Manitoba; Albert to Detroit; Mrs. John Nicklin to Aberfoyle; Mrs. John Cummings to Detroit; and Mrs. Adam Howe and Mrs. John Tansley to Chicago. Of all his children, only Frank stayed on the homestead. Both he and his father were to have unfortunate ends.
On a sunny day at the end of July 1904, Robert became the victim of a gruesome accident. With his neighbors he was harvesting his grain in a field by the CPR tracks that ran right through his land. Moving to take more twine to Frank, he crossed the tracks without noticing the on-coming train. It ripped into his 81-year-old body. The scene was seared into the memory of the young neighbor boy, Fred Mast, sitting nearby on a binder. He remembered that the men put sheaves over the body and bore the dreadful burden home.
Five months later on Christmas Day, Frank suddenly died of Bright's disease. and his wife Eliza Lewis was left alone as they had no children. But Eliza did have a son by a handfast marriage in Scotland. This son George Lewis, married with two children, moved on to the Watson farm until 1914 when he returned to keep store in Aberfoyle which became an Aberfoyle landmark. Lila Lewis Hayden, the last of his children born on the Watson farm, died at 90 in March of this year.
The Watson/Lewis farm shortly became the Joe Smith farm and today it is the site of a handsome horse training establishment. The house still stands.
Elizabeth Bullock and Robert Watson
